Neal Freyman and Toby Howell aren’t just the co-hosts of Morning Brew Daily, a daily talk show bringing you witty and informative coverage of business news, the economy, and everything else you need to start your day. Behind the scenes, they’re powering the rest of Morning Brew, too. Toby leads Morning Brew’s social media strategy, and Neal is editor-at-large of their flagship newsletter, having spent years nailing the signature tone Morning Brew brings to its business news coverage.
If there’s one thing we know, it’s that morning routines matter. Listeners constantly reach out to us to share how Morning Brew Daily plays a key part in their morning routine, offering the news they need to know in a quick, digestible format. Sadly, we can’t listen to Morning Brew Daily on our own early-morning commutes – we’re on our way to the studio to record the show – so these shows keep us going instead.
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Toby: Dax just makes every conversation feel like you’re eavesdropping on two friends at a kitchen table. He gets guests to open up in ways that are funny, human, and unexpectedly deep.
Conversations with Tyler
Neal: In Conversations With Tyler, economist, blogger, and know-it-all Tyler Cowen interviews other brilliant people about their subjects of expertise, from chess grandmasters to YouTube stars exploring power lines in video games. Astoundingly, Cowen often knows more about these niche subjects than the person he’s interviewing, making for intellectually stimulating listening.
Acquired
Toby: I mean, does it get any better than massive deep dives into the biggest companies and businesses of our generation? No…no it doesn’t. My mom and I even made it to their live show at Radio City this summer!
Switched on Pop / Strong Songs
Neal: I’m really into music theory and the process by which songs are constructed. Strong Songs and Switched on Pop are two excellent podcasts that explore the behind-the-scenes of how popular songs are made, helping me view tracks I’ve listened to a million times in a whole new light. Most importantly, they view pop music as a subject worthy of serious inquiry.
Freakonomics Radio
Toby: It’s right there in the name! I like freaky economics stories, weird questions and the combination of data and storytelling. This is a show that makes you look at the world in new ways.
The Watch
Neal: For TV and movie recaps, I turn to The Watch and other Ringer podcasts to learn about themes and hidden messages from my favorite shows I may have missed. Often, I find the recaps more enjoyable than the episodes themselves (I should probably find better TV shows).
The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway
Toby: Scott Galloway is not for everyone, but if you want someone sharp, funny, and brutally honest all in the same breath…he’s for you. His takes sometimes don’t age well, but I’m always curious to hear his perspective.
Lateral with Tom Scott
Neal: Macy Gilliam at Morning Brew turned me onto Lateral, in which affable and nerdy Tom Scott poses lateral thinking stumpers to a panel of three guests. I admit I’m a little biased: Macy, my MBD cohost Toby, and I will appear in two upcoming episodes. It was a blast and my brain hurt for three days after.
The Rich Roll Podcast
Toby: I love Rich Roll’s book, and will put on the pod when he has a guest I like. The pod is great for fitness junkies looking to be inspired on long runs – I listened all the time when I was training for my last marathon.
Pocket Casts Blog 